Thirty-seven years after its creation, this resort in the High Alps still remains somewhat forgotten… to the great delight of its fans who, far from the “ski factories” of the Northern Alps, can enjoy the beauty of a protected unspoilt area and, at an altitude of 2,720 m (8,924 ft), fresh snow – which makes for great skiing.

to the great delight of its fans who, far from the “ski factories” of the Northern Alps, can enjoy the beauty of a protected unspoilt area and, at an altitude of 2,720 m (8,924 ft), fresh snow – which makes for great skiing.

First snow-covered French resort of the 2006-2007 season

When we went to Les Orres in late December, autumn had gone into extra time all over Europe, with abnormally mild temperatures for the time of year.

Contrary to all expectations, this resort, located 100 km (62 miles) from Nice as the crow flies, was the only one to have over 80 cm (31 in) of snow before Christmas! “There’s nothing exceptional in that,” explained the resort manager, Bettina Mattias, “because here we benefit from a microclimate where cool air from the Gulf Stream encourages early snow cover.”

Where to stay

In the village

If you want to enjoy the peace and quiet of Les Orres, be sure to book a room at LeJas de la Viera, a marvellous place for a stopover or stay. Ten years ago, Line and Denis Kempf tastefully restored this old inn, giving it a capacity of 32 beds (rooms for 2, 3 or 4 people).

You can admire the snowy peaks from the flower-filled terrace. All the produce served for half-board is organically produced in the region, from the honey to the bread and including the eggs, herbal teas, fruit and vegetables.

€45 per person per night, half-board.

At the resort

Set at an altitude of 1,650 m (5,413 ft), the Hôtel de la Portette (26 rooms) has been run for 6 years by a friendly couple, Xavier and Christelle Rivière. The atmosphere in the bar area is young and the mountain cuisine copious.

A few metres away from the pistes, you can reach the skiing area in the morning via an old ski tow built in 1965: be prepared for a slightly jerky start! A free shuttle also stops in front of the hotel every 20 minutes, on the way to the centre of the resort 1 km away.

€40 per person per night, including breakfast, €50 for half-board.

A resort on a human scale

Built in 1970 amid a forest of larch trees, Les Orres resort stands on a viewpoint offering a superb view of Serre-Ponçon Lake and the Durance Valley.

Its architecture blends in with the environment, bringing to mind that of Avoriaz (built a little earlier) with its wooden façades, footbridges and curves. The place receives an impressive amount of sunshine (over 300 days a year), which goes hand in hand with the southern French accent of the inhabitants, many of whom have relations in the Marseille region.

Les Orres now has 24 ski lifts (8 chair lifts and 15 ski tows), 88 km (55 miles) of pistes, 40 km (25 miles) of cross-country ski routes, a snow park and virgin areas for off-piste skiing (preferably under the guidance of an instructor).

At an altitude of 2,720 m (8,924 ft), the quality of snow cover and the gradient of the pistes (1,170 m of variation in altitude) make for really athletic skiing that will come as a surprise to many! We recommend in particular the Blanchon, Portette, Boussolenc and Les Perdrix red runs. Reckon on €24 for a one-day ski pass, €118 for a 6-day (consecutive) pass (reservation possible by telephone or via Internet).*

A little gem: Les Orres village

Set 2 km (just over a mile) below the resort, on the D 40 road leading to the town of Embrun, this is an authentic mountain village with a pleasant smell of hay, cowsheds and wood fires!

Walking through, after admiring Les Orres massif and having a drink of fresh water from the fountains, you can contemplate its sturdy stone farmhouses topped by roofs of purple-coloured stone that gleam in the sunshine.

With their larch-wood balconies and old grain lofts facing due south, these large buildings are very close to the traditional architecture of the neighbouring Queyras. Overlooking the village on a sloping hillside, the church of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine is listed as an historic monument. It was erected in the early 16th century and is worth a look for its Lombard-style bell tower and its pink marble lion crouching on the terrace.

A lovely marked footpath runs from the village to the lower end of the resort (at the level of the Hôtel La Portette), over an hour’s walk away.

Embrun: a small southern town perched on a cliff

To reach the resort of Les Orres you have to pass through Embrun, whether you are travelling by car or by train. However, Embrun is nothing like those obscure mountain towns hidden in the depths of a valley, where people only go to do their shopping!

Perched on the Roc, an 80 m (262 ft) high pudding stone promontory which dominates the Durance Valley, this luminous town was nicknamed “the Nice of the Alps”. The atmosphere here is indeed very southern, with its small squares planted with lime and plane trees, its fountains, alleys, café terraces, sundials and colourful façades.

Be sure to take a look at Notre-Dame-du-Réal cathedral (12th and 13th centuries), the splendid Renaissance entrance of the Hôtel des Gouverneurs, and the drapers’ house (18th century).

Gourmet addresses

Here, holidays in the snow have not been synonymous with hot dogs, chips and ketchup for a long time…

For instance, at L’Orée des pistes, at the heart of Les Orres resort, Évelyne and Henry Combal prepare house specialities using typical regional produce, such as trout from Baratier served with forest mushrooms (€14.50). The crayfish tail gratin and coq au vin à l’ancienne are also worth a taste, as are the vanilla tarte Tatin (apple pie) flambéed with Calvados and the “Grandmother’s” ice cream with glacé cherries. Menu at €34.50.

Le Dinos’Orres, next to the pistes near the nursery, has been run by the Chanel family since 1986. In the kitchen, father and son René and Stéphan produce a tasty, original and inventive cuisine with, for example, their mountain mushroom bouillabaisse, acacia flower fritters with dandelion honey, and cucumber mousse wrapped in smoked trout with fresh mint. Other strong points: the dessert sampler, the sunny open-air terrace and the welcome. Menu at €23.

In Embrun, the Hôtel Restaurant de la Mairie stands on the charming Place Barthelon, a square with a 16th century fountain – listed as an historic monument – taking pride of place in the centre. The ravioli with morel mushrooms and the raspberry gratin are the two signature dishes of this friendly establishment, but you must also taste the home-made duck foie gras and smoked Baratier trout salad. Local menu at €20.

Nearby, be sure to pay a visit to chocolate-maker Luc Eyriey, a local figure whose hand-made chocolates are produced using the greatest cocoa beans selected by Valrhona (Guanaja, Manjari, Caraïbe and Jivara).

* One euro is worth approximately GBP0.66.

Practical information

Les Orres Tourist Office

Tel: 04 92 44 01 61

www.lesorres.com

lesorres.zumablog.com

Embrun Tourist Office

Tel: 04 92 43 72 72

www.ot-embrun.fr

Gîte Le Jas de la Viera

Tel: 04 92 44 10 36

www.gitelaviera.com